Kendra Scott Design, Inc.

Who owns Kendra Scott?
Kendra Scott Design, Inc. is majority-owned by founder Kendra Scott, who serves as executive chairwoman and chief visionary officer. Minority stakes are held by 65 Equity Partners, HPS Investment Partners and Belzberg & Co. following a 2024 recapitalization.

Is Kendra Scott a public company?
No. Kendra Scott Design, Inc. is privately held. It has raised private equity investment but has never listed shares publicly.

How much revenue does Kendra Scott generate?
The company disclosed approximately $500 million in revenue for 2023, up nearly 20% from the prior year. It does not publish regular financial reports.

Who is the CEO of Kendra Scott?
Chris Blakeslee has served as CEO since January 2026. He joined from Alo Yoga, where he helped grow the brand past $1 billion in sales. Founder Kendra Scott remains executive chairwoman.

Where are Kendra Scott products made?
Products are designed in Austin, Texas, and manufactured primarily by contract factories in Asia, including China and India. The company operates its Color Bar customization and fulfillment from its Austin base.

How many Kendra Scott stores are there?
The company operates roughly 165 stores as of late 2026, including permanent and pop-up locations, plus wholesale distribution through department stores and more than 1,000 specialty boutiques.

Kendra Scott launched the business in 2002 from a spare bedroom in Austin, Texas, with $500 and a first collection she sold door to door to boutiques. Her designs, built around natural stones and bold silhouettes at accessible prices, gained traction in regional specialty stores through the 2000s.

The first Kendra Scott store opened on South Congress Avenue in Austin in 2010, introducing the Color Bar concept that would define the company's retail identity. Wholesale distribution expanded in parallel, with placements in Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's bringing the brand to a national audience.

Institutional capital arrived in stages. Norwest Venture Partners invested in 2014, funding store growth. Berkshire Partners made a significant minority investment in 2016, a deal that reportedly valued the company at more than $1 billion and financed a broader retail buildout. By the early 2020s the store count passed 100 and the assortment expanded into home goods and beauty.

Leadership transitioned several times as the company professionalized. Tom Nolan served as CEO during a period of category expansion that included the 2023 launch of Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, a western-themed line, and extensions into eyewear, fragrance, hats and footwear. Revenue reached approximately $500 million in 2023, up nearly 20% year over year.

In September 2024, Singapore-based 65 Equity Partners led a minority investment alongside HPS Investment Partners and Belzberg & Co. The transaction redeemed the Berkshire and Norwest positions and increased Scott's majority stake. In January 2026, the company named Chris Blakeslee CEO; he had previously helped scale Alo Yoga from under $50 million to more than $1 billion in sales. In November 2026, the company appointed Kerry Feldmann, a 15-year Tiffany & Co. veteran, as chief merchandising officer, while maintaining plans to grow the store base and extend into new lifestyle categories.

Philanthropy is central to the company's identity. Kendra Scott runs continuous give-back programs donating proceeds from designated items and store events to women's and children's charities, local schools and disaster relief. The company reports cumulative donations of tens of millions of dollars in cash and product since 2002.

On sourcing, the company states that its suppliers adhere to a vendor code of conduct covering labor standards. Products use natural, dyed and lab-created stones with plated metals, produced primarily by contract manufacturers in Asia. The company is not a Certified B Corporation and does not hold Responsible Jewellery Council certification.

Kendra Scott has avoided major regulatory or product controversies. Its public disputes have centered on design protection, including enforcement actions against counterfeiters and copycat products, a persistent issue in fashion jewelry where signature styles are widely imitated.

Leadership turnover has drawn industry attention. The company cycled through several chief executives and senior hires as it scaled, before settling on Chris Blakeslee in 2026. Coverage of the 2024 recapitalization noted that earlier investors were redeemed as founder Kendra Scott increased her stake, a move interpreted as consolidating long-term control rather than preparing a sale.